Broadway veteran Donna Lynne Champlin creates her own Solo CD on a budget of $1000 and a time limit of 6 weeks.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Thanks DARYL GLENN!!!

Daryl Glenn from the Cabaret Exchange wrote a lovely review of OLD FRIENDS...

THANK YOU SO MUCH, Mr. Glenn!!!

"Kentucky (!)native StephenFoster Collinswrote “HardTimes ComeAgain No More”(the openingtrack here) but Isay, if it’sDonna Lynne Champlin bringing (or rathersinging) the hard times, bring it on! Thisgal has an absolutely exquisite voice. Irealize this comes as no surprise toanyone who knows her musical theatrework, particuarly in Sweeney Todd, ByJeeves , James Joyceʼs ʻThe Deadʼ (allon Broadway) or Bloomer Girl (CityCenterʼs Encoreʼ series), but this albumis truly a revelation. Ms. Champlin canhowl the blues, or at least songs of a blueheart with the very best of ʻem!

"Perhaps most impressive of all, is thefact that she recorded this entire albumon an extremely modest budget in theprivacy of her own home. Sometimes, inprivacy of her own home. Sometimes, inthe privacy of her own bathroom! Takethat you big media conglomerates! It wasa risk recording an album of practically allballads, and I wouldnʼt recommend it toeveryone. But Ms. Champlin carries it offwith feathers flying high! What makes thedifference, besides that goose-pimpleinducing sound of hers, is the fact shehas very serious acting chops as well.And she acts the stuffing out of each andevery selection here, so we get just asinvolved in the story as she does.

The stories here are by a wide variety ofsongwriters in a wide variety of styles,and all are outstanding, even thecontemporary theatre songs! My readerswill, no doubt, recall that I take issue withmany of the songs from the currentmusical theatre scene, however, Ms.Champlinʼs choices here (“Eiffel Tower”by Jim Bauer, “Still Hurting” by JasonRobert Browne from The Last FiveYears, “County Fair” by Scott Warrenderand Jim Luigs from Das Barbecu and“When Eleanor Smiles” by Michael JohnLaChiusa fromFirst Lady Suite, are allimpeccable. A couple songs fromrecent animated films (“Once Upon ADecember” from Anastasia by StephenFlaherty and Lynn Ahrens, “When SheLoved Me” from Toy Story II by RandyNewman) shine as well with tendertreatments.

Demonstrating a vast grasp ofinnumerable styles, Ms. Champlin alsotreats us to a pair of folk/countrycompositions (“Whereʼve You Been” bycompositions (“Whereʼve You Been” byDon Henry and Jonathan Verner and theKate McGarrigle classic, “I Cried ForUs”). As an adopted child myself, theheartbreaking “From Godʼs Arms to My Arms to Yours” (Michael McLean), isparticuarly touching with a motherexplaining her choice to have and yetgive her son to another. My only tinycriticism would be that I think itʼs time wecall a temporary moratoriumon CharlieChaplinʼs “Smile.” Pretty as it may be, allthings suffer from overexposure! Perhapsmost impressive of all, besides recordingthe whole thing herself, is the fact thatMs. Champlin also arranged, sings allvocals and plays piano, accordian, flute,tin whistle, synthed guitar, bass, strings,chimes and percussion! Sheesh! What doyou even call such a person? A musicalgenius seems fitting. "